Apostle Apollo

The holy, glorious, all-laudable Apostle Apollo, also Apollos (in Greek: Απολλως), is numbered among the Seventy Apostles. Apollo is a contraction of Apollonius. Apollo was a well educated Jew from Alexandria who was a companion and active missionary with Apostle Paul, particularly in Corinth.

Apparently already well versed in the Scriptures and probably influenced by the teaching of disciples of John the Baptist, Apollo became known to Paul in Ephesus where Aquila and Priscilla spoke with him and instructed him more accurately in the ways of God (Acts 18:24-28, 19:1-7). Later, he appears as an important personage in Corinth where Paul refers to him as part of the community (1 Corinthians 3:6, and 4:6). That he was an important companion of Paul’s mission is shown when later in his letter from Ephesus, Paul refers to Apollo’s coming visit to Corinth (1 Corinthians 16:12).

Later in life, Apollo retired to the island of Crete with Zenas, where he may have been bishop. Afterward he returned to Corinth where he was bishop. Later tradition varies in that he is reported to have been bishop at a number of places including Smyrna in Asia Minor and Caesarea.